ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the role of the humanities in contributing towards pupils' developing sense of identity in multiethnic and multiracial Britain. The nature of Britishness and the development of the United Kingdom are first considered before exploring how schools can make the most of Britain's rich multicultural heritage. The chapter also focuses on how teachers can fulfil their current professional duty to 'actively promote fundamental British values' through the humanities. The humanities have a strong responsibility in providing the most appropriate contexts for teaching pupils about Britain's diverse heritage and pluralist society. Whereas multiculturalism describes a society in which people from different cultures lives side by side, intercultural education seeks to be more transformative by encouraging active engagement and learning from each other. To achieve cohesive communities, the policy discourse over recent years has questioned the validity of multiculturalism as a concept.
